Re: [xml] Need limited functionality in using libxml2...

["William M. Brack" <wbrack mmm com hk>]

Greg Morgan said:
> Hello,
>
> I am attempting to build a minimal libxml2 using libxml2-2.6.16
> on a LinuxRH 9.0 Intel box.
>
> My app is multi-threaded and for now all I need to do is parse
> relatively simple XML data structures and would like Xpath
> support.
>
> I don't have a requirement(presently)for most of the optional packages.
> Configuring w/ '--with-minimum --with-threads --with-thread-alloc
> --with-xpath'
> leads to several missing references(similar or the same as noted in a earlier
> email from Dan Terpstra).  My system has an older libxml2 installed by default
> in /usr/lib and /usr/include(version 2.5.4) and I moved the libs and header
> files to alternate locations so gcc/ld won't locate them due to any
> intrinsic path settings, etc.
>
> I've tried various combos of options, but since I'm not familiar w/ the
> internals at all, what would you suggest is the best way to build
> a minimal sized libxml2 w/ the above mentioned support?  TIA for any
> help you might be able to offer.
>
> Regards,
>
> Greg
>
> Greg Morgan
> gmorgan performanceit com

I took a fairly deep look at this problem, and unfortunately the "right" fix
to the problem gets *very* complicated.  I think it may be possible to do a
small workaround, and basically get you past the compilation problems which
you are now encountering,

At least with my (fairly standard) Linux system, most of the errors originate
from the header file "elfgcchack.h".  The first part of the workaround is to
substitute an empty file, e.g.:
    cat > elfgcchack.h
followed by an EOF (CTRL/D).

The second part of the workaround is to avoid the compilation of all the
example programs.  This involves editing the Makefile in the "doc"
subdirectory of the distribution directory  (this must be done *after* the
./configure step),  in order to remove the line
    SUBDIRS = examples

Once those two steps have been done, you should be able to compile and install
the library (at least it works for me :-).

If any readers are interested in the "complications" I'll be happy to go into
much more detail.  For now, I will only say that they probably won't get a
"right" fix in the very near future.

Regards,

Bill